Probe Underway into Cargo Plane Crash that Killed Americans

iStockphoto/Thinkstock(WASHINGTON) — Investigators are still unsure what caused a cargo plane to crash shortly after take-off Monday from Bagram Air Force base in Afghanistan, killing all seven Americans on board.

National Airlines, which operated the Boeing 747 jumbo jet, said all the dead were civilians.

National Airlines executive Glen Joerger called the crash “a devastating loss for our family, and we’ll work diligently with authorities to find the cause. Most importantly, our thoughts and prayers are with our crew members and their families.”

What is known up to now is that the jet contained vehicles and other freight along with the passengers when it rose to a level of about 1,300 feet before suddenly nose-diving and exploding on impact.

The veracity of a video showing a large plane crashing that was said to be the Boeing 747 has not been confirmed.

Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board, representatives from Boeing Co. and Afghan officials are all involved in the probe. Meanwhile, NATO continues to reject assertions by the Taliban that it downed the plane.